Tag

#Ukraine

Incidents involving Ukraine, including coercive minerals deals, withholding of military aid for political leverage, and policies affecting Ukrainian sovereignty and the civilian population.

5 incidents

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

First Impeachment: Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress Over Ukraine

The first impeachment arose from a July 25, 2019 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky in which Trump asked Ukraine to 'do us a favor' by investigating the Bidens and the 2016 election, while $391 million in congressionally approved military aid was being withheld. Ambassador Gordon Sondland testified that there was an explicit quid pro quo and 'everyone was in the loop.' Ambassador William Taylor testified that U.S. officials were told the aid was conditioned on the announcement of investigations. The Senate acquitted on party-line votes except for Romney, who voted to convict on the abuse of power article. Two days after the acquittal, Sondland was recalled as ambassador and Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman (who had raised the alarm about the call) was removed from his NSC post and reassigned to the Army.

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

Sondland Testimony: 'Everyone Was in the Loop' on Ukraine Quid Pro Quo

Sondland had originally testified in closed session that he had no knowledge of a quid pro quo involving military aid. After two other diplomats — William Taylor and Tim Morrison — submitted testimony contradicting Sondland's account, Sondland submitted a supplemental declaration amending his prior testimony to acknowledge he had told a Ukrainian official that the release of military assistance would likely not occur until Ukraine announced investigations. In his public testimony, Sondland went further, naming Pompeo, Mulvaney, and Bolton as aware of the arrangement and stating the quid pro quo was explicit.

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

Ukraine Quid Pro Quo: Withheld $391 Million in Military Aid to Extort Investigation of Biden

Ukraine had been under Russian military pressure since 2014. The $391 million in security assistance — congressionally appropriated bipartisan aid that had nothing to do with Biden — was withheld by Trump's Office of Management and Budget while the White House sought a Ukrainian announcement of investigations. The July 25 call between Trump and Zelensky documented the pressure: Trump told Zelensky he needed a 'favor' — an investigation of the 2016 election and of Biden — before the U.S. would proceed. A White House national security official filed a whistleblower complaint. The aid was eventually released in September 2019 after the whistleblower complaint became public.

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

Ukraine Extortion and First Impeachment: Withholding Military Aid to Coerce Election Interference

Trump conditioned release of congressionally-approved military aid on Ukraine's announcement of investigations targeting his political rival. The scheme, exposed by a whistleblower and confirmed by multiple witnesses including Trump's own ambassador to the EU, made national security funds contingent on Trump's personal electoral interests. The House voted to impeach; the Senate acquitted on party lines after blocking witness testimony.

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

Paul Manafort: Bank and Tax Fraud Convictions, Conspiracy and Witness-Tampering Plea — Pardoned

Prosecutors alleged Manafort was paid more than $60 million between 2010 and 2014 by Ukrainian sponsors for political work for Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian Ukrainian president later forced from office and who fled to Russia. Manafort hid the income in offshore accounts and spent lavishly while lying on tax returns and bank loan applications. Mueller's investigation documented that Manafort had also shared internal Trump campaign polling data with Konstantin Kilimnik, whom the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report (Volume 5, August 2020) characterized as a 'Russian intelligence officer', calling Manafort's activities a 'grave counterintelligence threat'.